Research•Identified novel molecular targets for alcohol use disorder from transcriptome signatures of brain cell populations isolated from alcohol-dependent mice •Discovered a role for cortical astrocyte calcium signaling in alcohol consumption and related behaviors •Established new experimental techniques in the laboratory, including live astrocyte isolation and chemogenetics, for targeted analysis and manipulation of cell types within brain regions •Mastered a diverse combination of skills within a variety of scientific disciplines to complete research goals, including molecular biology, bioinformatics, and behavioral neuroscience •Work led to first-author publications and professional presentations at international conferences Writing •Led the research, writing, and publishing process of a review article on primary literature related to the role of neuroimmune signaling in alcohol use disorders•Wrote and published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals to report original research findings •Independently developed a scientific grant proposal to fund dissertation research; was awarded the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)•Created scientific posters for frequent research presentations •Regularly constructed slide decks for oral presentations at events ranging from informal laboratory meetings to international conferences•Assisted advisor with peer-reviewing original research and review articles under consideration for publication•Wrote exams and prepared lectures for PI’s Neurobiology of Addiction course

Research•Investigated the influence of temperature on body size dynamics and predator-prey interactions of protozoa in the ecology & evolution laboratory of Dr. John P. DeLong•Implemented and optimized a new genotyping method for identifying genetic variation within clonal populations of the soybean aphid in Dr. Nicholas Miller's entomology laboratory Writing•Wrote yearly grant proposals to apply for and receive funding for undergraduate research project•Constructed and presented a scientific poster for dissemination of results at the annual Spring Research Fair•Participated in manuscript preparation and review process for two co-authored original research publications